Mechanical sound-signal appliance



May 29, 1951 A MERQLA 2,554,627

MECHANICAL SOUND SIGNAL APPLIANCE Filed March 24, 1949 ,6 t 2'4 y INVENTOR.

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du* @muy Patented May 29, 1951 UNITED STATES PATIENT OFFICE MECHANICAL SOUND-SIGNAL APPLIANCE Anthony Merola, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application March 24, 1949, SerialNo. 83,148V

This invention relates to an improved mechanical sound signal appliance, and the primary object thereof is to provide a, signalling appliance of the character described, which is designed and intended for use by a person in an emergency for discouraging and putting to flight an intruder to prevent the latter from carrying out his nefarious intent, and thus protect theuser from bodily harm, robbery, and the like.

Further objects and advantages of the invention are to provide a device of the class stated, which -wll function to emit a continuous, shrill ringing sound, which is spring operated and cannot be manipulated to suspend the sound action until the operating spring drive is completely exv is simple in its construction and arrangement,

durable and elcient in its use, compact, positive in its action, attractive in appearance, yand comparatively economical in its manufacture.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which Iwill appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel construction, combination and Aarrangement of parts herein specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, but it is to be understood that changes in the form, proportions and details of construction may be resorted to that come within the scope of the claim hereunto appended.

In the drawing wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the improved sound signal appliance constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional View of the device taken on line 2 2, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the hammer bar and the associated disk hammers.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the con trol latch. A

Referring in detail to the drawing, the improved sound appliance comprises a cylindrical casing I including a cover 2 having a convextop 3 which is provided with a plurality of apertures 4 for the emission of the sound produced within the casing. The cover has :a screw thread attachment with the casing, and carries a set screw 5 for engaging the casing and secure the cover in the attached position, thereby preventing the removal of the cover from the casing without the aid of a screw driver to release the set screw.

A stationary gong-type of bell 6 is mounted within the cover 2, :and is supported from the di# 1 Claim. (Cl. 116-154) ametric center of the latter. The bell is disposed in spaced relation but in fairly close proximity to the cover top 3, and is, of course, removable fro the casing with the cover. A A Supporting plate 'I is fixedly secured in the casing I in spaced relation to the bottom IIl of the casing, and extends horizontally in the latter. A vertically disposed spindle 9 has its lower end suitably journaled for rotation in the center of the supporting plate, and the upper end thereof extends into the bell 6. A spindle pinion I0 is xed to the spindle 9 and is disposed above and adjacent to the upper surf-ace of the supporting plate l.. A hammer bar II is xed, centrally of its length, to the upper end of the spindle 9, and is disposed horizontally in the lower end of the bell 6. A pair of suitable, floating disk hammers I2 are connected Iwith respective ends of the hammer bar, and function to strike the bell 6 to ring the latter during the rotation of the hammer bar with the spindle 9.

A lcoil operating spring I3 is mounted horizontally on the bottom 8 of the casing I within the latter. The spring is connected and operates a vertically disposed drive shaft I4, which is suitably journaled for rotation in the casing bottom. The spring may be wound or tensioned by the use of a removable key I5 from the outside of the casing bottom in the usual well known manner. A transmission pinion I6 and a transmission gear I 1 are fixed on respective ends of a common, vertically disposed shaft, which is journaled for rotation in the supporting plate 1. The transmission pinion is disposed below the supporting plate,

and meshes with a driving gear I8, which latter` is fixed to the upper end ofthe drive shaft I4. The transmission gear is disposed above the supporting plate and meshes with the spindle pinion IIJ. It will be apparent that, the operationfof this. chain of gearing will impart high speed rotation.. to the hammer bar I I, whereby the disk hammers` I2 will function to continuously strike and loudly;

ring the bell 6.

A vertically disposed control latch I9 is shift ably engaged in a slot in the supporting plate 'I and in a hole in the ca-sing bottom 8. The lowerend of the control latch extends through the casing bottom, and is provided with an operating push button 20, which also limits the operative upward movement of the control latch. The downward movement of the control latch in the casing is limited by a stop pin 2I that is fixed in the control latch adjacent to the inner face of the casing bottom.

The control latch I9 is formed with a flat upper end 22 and with a recess 23 that is disposed below said upper end 22. A light spiral spring 24, connected with the control latch and with .the casing, normally tends to draw the control latch downwardly and outwardly in the casing.

To allow the winding or tensioning of the drive spring I3, it is rst necessary to remove the cover 2 from the casing I. The upper end 22 of the control latch I9 is engaged between two adjacent teeth of the transmission gear Ii and manually held in such engagement while the drive spring is being wound by the use of the key l5. The drive pull of the wound drive spring will greatly counteract the lesser pull of the spiral spring 2li, and in consequence the said upper end 22 `will remain in engagement with the transmission gear to hold the tension of the drive spring until contact latch is manually shifted to release such engagement.

The control latch I9 is in its maximum downward position when engaging the transmission gear Il, as shown in Figure 2. To Vrelease the control latch the same is pushed upwardly in the casing l byA pressing the push button 20. Such upward movement of the control latch will cause the upper end 22 thereof to clear the engaged teeth of the transmission gear Il, due to the position of the recess 23. The action of the spring 2d will draw and hold the control latch in the disengaged position until the latter is again manually reengaged in the manner herein before set forth relatively to the rewinding of the drive spring I3. The engagement of the control latch with the transmission gear is such as to require a decided push to free the control latch, and in consequence the latter, under ordinary conditions, will not accidently become disengaged from the transmission gear.

It will be evident that when the control latch I9 is disengaged from the transmission gear il, the operation of the drive spring I3 will rotate the hammer bar I I and thereby operate the bell 6. Such operation of the bell will be continuous until the drive power of the spring I5 is completely expended, as such operation of, the bell cannot be suspended unless the cover 2 is removed from the casing I, and such removal, due to the set screw 5, will take considerable time, and the drive action of the spring i3 will be expended before the removal of the cover can be effected.

Itis, of course, apparent that the device will operatefor a comparatively short period of time, however, a continuous shrill ringing sound for a period of from two to three minutes is invariably sufficient to discourage and prevent intruders from attempting any perverse actions. Even ii the assailant should get possession of the device from the operator, he would be unable to suspend the operation of the device, as the latter will function to ring continuously until the drive power of the drive spring I3 is completely expended.

The improved sound signal appliance may be constructed in any suitable sizes and shapes to adapt same for being conveniently carried in the hand, pocket, hand bag, or in an automobile, or for being stored at a readily accessible place in the home.

D Number The feature of the invention resides in the provision of an emergency appliance operable for the protection of the user that will emit a continuous shrill ringing sound which cannot be suspended until the drive power of the drive spring I3 isexpended unless the device is taken apart, and wherein such separation of the parts would take considerably longer than the effective sound operation of the device.

From the foregoing description taken in connecticn with the accompanying drawing, the construction and method of operation of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, but it will be understood that variations in the contour of the device and in the mechanical movements of the latter may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacriiicing any advantages of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

What I claim is:

A sound signal ci the class described, comprising a casing including a bottom, ya cover engaged on said casing and including a top provided with a plurality of apertures, a set screw carried by said cover and engaging said casing for securing the latter to said cover, a bell mounted in said cover, a horizontally disposed supporting plate iixed in said casing, a hammer element revolubly supported on said plate and disposed in said bell and including a pinion, a spring operated power mechanism mounted on said casing bottom and including a revoluble drive gear, transmission gearing carried by said plate and meshing with said drive gear and with said pinion operable for imparting rotation to said element to operate said bell, a vertically disposed control latch shiftably extended through said plate and projecting through said casing bottom, a push button carried at the projecting end of said latch and limiting the upward movement of said latch in said casing, a stop pin carried by said latch for engaging said casing bottom to limit the downward movement of said latch in said casing, the upper end of said latch engageable in said transmission gearing lfor holding the latter in the inoperative position, said latch provided with a recess adjacent to the upper end thereof to provide clearance releasing said transmission gearing to allow the operation of the latter to operate said bell when said latch is in the upward position in said casing, and a spring connected with said casing bottom and with said latch for shifting the released latch Y laterally in said casing to hold said latch in the released upwardly disposed position in said casing.

ANTHONY MEROLA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Hill Sept. 4, 1900 Hamilton June l5, 1920 Schanta May 24, 193,2 Allen Nov. 16, 1937 

